Precocious Children Are Really Hard to Raise

Returning home from the rental apartment, Lin Mo phased right through the wall.

When his feet touched the floor, the living room was completely empty, save for printed A4 papers scattered all over the ground.

From the bathroom came the intermittent sound of muffled crying, occasionally mixed with bouts of dry heaving.

Lin Mo suddenly remembered that he seemed to have gone through a similar experience once.

When a person experiences extreme sorrow, they really can throw up, let alone such a young girl.

Lin Mo sat down casually on the sofa. With a flip of his wrist, an ice-cold cola appeared out of thin air.

With a soft pop, the pull tab was snapped open.

He tilted his head back and took a gulp, the freezing liquid sliding down his throat, bringing a brief moment of comfort.

With a snap of his fingers, the scattered A4 papers were drawn by an invisible gravity, instantly flying back into place and stacking neatly into a pile at the corner of the table.

Throughout the entire process, he did not even bat an eyelid.

About half an hour later, the noise in the bathroom finally died down completely.

A person's sorrow, after all, has its limits.

Lin Mo casually turned on the TV. It was plugged into an antenna, so he could watch it without a set-top box.

The news channel was broadcasting about the nine overseas military bases that had been leveled to the ground a while ago. Military experts worldwide were still spitting everywhere as they debated who the culprit was.

Ultimately, a certain Middle Eastern organization jumped out to claim responsibility, righteously declaring that it was a just punishment for the oil thieves.

It sounded quite convincing, actually.

Lin Mo watched with amusement. Anyway, this scapegoat had nothing to do with a teenager who was about to enter his second year of high school.

He was just about to change the channel when a hoarse, almost shattering voice came from behind him.

So... have I really been asleep for that long?

Lin Mo turned his head. Ning Qingcheng was standing there, supporting herself against the wall. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face was completely devoid of color, looking like a doll whose soul had been drained away.

He lifted his chin toward the table, and an unopened bottle of mineral water appeared next to the stack of documents.

Drink some water.

Ning Qingcheng did not move. Her gaze was firmly nailed to the scrolling news date at the bottom of the TV screen.

The records in the files were just cold words, but the ticking date on the television made her truly realize that several months of her life had simply vanished.

She had woken up from a sleep, only to find she had lost everything.

Including her parents.

Sit.

Lin Mo took a sip of his vintage iced cola, his tone flat. If you have anything to ask, just say it. I don't plan on giving you too much time.

The little girl still did not move.

Lin Mo let out an imperceptible sigh in his heart.

Fair enough; after all, the day he found out his own parents had been in an accident, he had been heartbroken too.

He did not rush her. Instead, he pulled out his phone, the cold light of the screen reflecting on his face, and quickly tapped a few times to send a message to Liu Zheng.

A reply came quickly from the other end.

I will come over right away!

I advise against that. She is very smart, but her emotions are quite unstable. It might be better if you call Xia Zhi over.

Uh... alright.

Lin Mo put away his phone. He really wasn't good at comforting little girls, especially smart ones like her.

Smart kids from ordinary families matured early, but those from wealthy families like the Ning family were the absolute champions of premature maturity.

At the end of the day, he wasn't some ancient monster who had lived for hundreds of years. His experience in dealing with this kind of situation was zero.

He was a bit hesitant now about whether he should take her in as a disciple and unlock that system function.

What if he raised an ingrate who used the skills he taught to cause trouble? That would be no ordinary headache.

Just as Lin Mo's mind was wandering, assessing the risks of raising a disciple, the girl who had been silent all this time finally moved.

She did not go for the water, nor did she sit down. Instead, she slowly raised her head, her eyes dry from crying looking straight at Lin Mo.

Her voice was still hoarse, but it carried a trace of calmness that did not match her age.

Did you prepare these documents on the table?

Lin Mo leaned back on the sofa, his hands clasped behind his head in a relaxed posture.

Yanhuang Awakening organized them. I was too lazy to waste my breath; letting you read them yourself is the fastest way. He paused, then added, You should know what Yanhuang Awakening is, right?

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Mo realized he had asked a stupid question.

The girl's reaction clearly showed she was not completely ignorant.

Sure enough, Ning Qingcheng slowly raised her head. In those eyes that should have been innocent, there was now only a cold scrutiny, locking firmly onto him.

So, you are Lin Mo?

Lin Mo nodded.

That's right.

Lin Mo nodded candidly. It's written very clearly in the file. There's nothing extra to add. Whatever you want to ask, just ask.

He didn't like beating around the bush, especially with a smart kid.

Ning Qingcheng fell silent for a moment, as if organizing her words, and also as if evaluating the young man before her.

Why did Yanhuang Awakening allow you to take me away?

This question was very sharp.

Lin Mo thought for a moment, raised his hand, and clenched his fist. His knuckles let out a faint cracking sound.

Because I'm badas... Seeing the girl's expressionless little face, he changed his words at the last second. Because I'm quite powerful.

It was better to swear less in front of children.

Then why did you take me away? Ning Qingcheng pressed on, like a tireless interrogator.

This Q and A format was starting to annoy Lin Mo. He felt it would be more efficient to communicate in his own way.

With a mere thought.

The air instantly stagnated. An invisible, majestic force appeared out of thin air, transforming into a giant hand that gently yet irresistibly lifted Ning Qingcheng's small body.

The girl's pupils shrank suddenly, but she didn't scream. She only subconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes.

The next second, she was placed steadily onto the single sofa nearby. The whole process was so fast it felt like an illusion.

Only then did Lin Mo speak again, his voice carrying a hint of unquestionable authority.

I took you away because your talent is too strong. If you fell into the hands of Yanhuang Awakening, the best outcome for you would be spending your whole life as a tool to be used, without getting the slightest benefit.

He pointed at the documents on the table.

Because your surname is Ning, understand?

The end of the file was shocking. The Ning family had attempted to transfer her abilities. Such a family was a massive stain in the records of Yanhuang Awakening.

Even though Ning Qingcheng was a victim, this surname alone was enough to make her struggle every step of the way within the organization.

Ning Qingcheng turned her head and stared fixedly at Lin Mo, her small hands clenching tightly on the armrests of the sofa.

What exactly did this man want to do?

A ridiculous thought flashed through her mind.

A child bridegroom?

But she clearly remembered the beautiful older sister who had been by this man's side earlier; the atmosphere between those two was definitely not fake.

Just as her imagination was running wild, a hand gently landed on the top of her head. It wasn't heavy, but it interrupted all her thoughts.

At such a young age, what on earth is going on in that head of yours?

Precocious kids are really hard to handle.

Lin Mo felt somewhat amused, yet also a bit speechless.

I've already negotiated with Director Long of Yanhuang Awakening. You are given two choices:

One, you follow their arrangements and join Yanhuang Awakening. In the future, you will probably take over Director Long's position.

Second, you could become my junior martial sister, but you probably wouldn't be able to take over the position of Sect Leader.